The invention relates to a radiotelephone handset and user interface thereto.
The user interface, i.e. those elements of the handset that interact with the user is of vital importance. Important user interface considerations include, the ease with which the phone can be operated, the ease with which it can be transported and the comfort of use.
In the past, emphasis has been placed on designing the front of a handset, making it smaller and designing relatively large displays that allow information to be clearly presented to a user. As handsets become smaller they are better adapted for single hand operation. With this comes a range of other considerations.
Single handed operation of a radio telephone has clear advantages. These can only be realised effectively if the user finds it comfortable to operate the telephone when it is held in one hand. As modern phones are becoming increasingly small it is for the phone designer to assist in design of the phone to promote single handed operation.
According to the present invention, there is provided a radiotelephone handset comprising a housing having a front and a rear face; and a user interface comprising a display and input means responsive to a user to manipulate the contents of the display; wherein the display is provided on the front face and the input means on the rear face.
The provision of the input means on the rear face of the handset promotes single handed operation. Furthermore, the user""s hand does not obscure the display from view when, for example, making a menu selection. Moreover, such input means can perform the functions of the various function keys usually found on the front face of a handset.
The input means may manipulate text and/or cursors, for example by scrolling them on, off or across the display. The text may be numeric and/or alphabetic and may, for example, correspond to a function (such as a memory or menu function). The input means may select such a function displayed on the display. For example, the user may press the user input means to move a cursor to highlight a function displayed on the display, and once the requisite function is highlighted, the user may press the user input means again to select that function.
The input means may be a touch input means or touchpad, such as a touch screen, key or array of keys, mat having a pressure sensitve region or regions, rolling means (e.g. ball or wheel) or the like.
The input means may comprise a plurality of regions, each said region being responsive to the user to manipulate the contents of an associated region of the display. Preferably in such a case, each input region is positioned behind its associated display region.
Optionally, at least one of the touchpad (input means) regions is responsive to the user to select a function displayed in an associated display region. In such a case, the function displayed in a display region may be selected in response to pressure being removed from the associated touchpad region. Alternatively,it may be selected in response to pressure being applied to the associated touchpad region.